Page 189 of The Umarova Crime Family

“If he’s staying local, maybe I’ll go back with him instead. The last thing I want to do is be in the same building as my family while I’m screwing some hunk like him. Could you imagine if my brothers came in or something?” The mere thought is enough to make a chill run down my spine.

“Oh, God. I never even thought of that. Do you think they would?” Yara’s the only person I ever confided in about my paternity. She’s really the only person who I thought would understand it the way I needed her to. She’s my confidant, my best friend, and the person who never judges me. I used to think that was Dominika, but over the last few months, the two of us have really grown apart. I know as we get older, some people stay in our lives, but other people leave. There’s an old saying that my mother used to tell me—“people are like the seasons”. Basically, they come, and they go.

I just wish I knew why Dominika and I drifted apart. I’ve yet to get an answer on that, but part of me believes she was angry about me going off and exploring the world without her. The last time I really had any sort of communication with her was when she was going to Greece on holiday. I had her lie for me in case my mother asked about how the trip was going, and since then, things have been rocky. She’s barely spoken to me, and I need to make it a point to communicate with her so we can try to resolve this. She and I have been friends for so long that losing this friendship would almost feel like a breakup. If I’m being honest, though, it kind of already feels like there isn’t any coming back from this.

I’ve reached out numerous times over the course of the last couple of weeks and haven’t gotten a reply back. I’d love nothing more than to squash this. I just don’t think she wants to. If she did, I figure she would have reached out by now.

“I have no idea, honestly. I’d rather just not even have it be a possibility. You know?”

“Yeah, I totally do,” Yara confirms. “I think I’m going to enjoy the privacy in our suite with my newfound date if that’s okay with you.”

“Go right ahead. Do you like him?”

“Sure, I guess.” Yara shrugs. “He’s got a good smile and a banging body, and he’s charismatic. That’s all I really want in a one-night stand. Let’s just hope he knows how to use the tool between his legs.”

I shake my head and try to hold back my laughter, but I can’t. Ambros ends up coming back up to the table and takes his seat. “Yara, this is Ambros. Ambros, this is Yara.” I make the introductions, and Yara smiles mischievously at him.

“It’s so nice to meet you. Have fun tonight. I need to get back over to my date.” Yara simply stares at Ambros at first, then gives me a wink before she walks away.

“I’ll bet you two have been friends for a very long time.” Ambros hands me my drink, and I take a sip.

“How can you tell?” I laugh.

“You two have an unspoken language with your eyes. It’s like the two of you don’t have to say anything to understand each other.”

“We’ve been friends since we were little girls. I guess we do, in a way.”

“Sometimes the friendships you forge in your younger years are the best ones.”

“I think so. Yara’s one of my best friends, if not my only friend. When I was younger, I used to have more, but you know how life goes. Sometimes, it tears people apart.”

Ambros takes his seat beside me. “I can only agree to that slightly. If life pulls someone away from you, it likely means they weren’t supposed to be in it at all.”

“I’ve never thought about it that way.” He makes a good point, like Dominika, for example. We were close right around the time I was coming to Grozny for the first time, but ever since then, she’s faded away into the background. I’ve called her a couple of times, but she hasn’t called me back once. I even reached out to her via text and on social media, but still nothing.

“It’s something I’ve learned through the years.”

“You talk like you’re some old man.”

“I am to some people.” Ambros chuckles in a carefree manner, and it makes me smile.

“How old are you?”

“I’m thirty-two.”

“Oh, my word. You’re ancient, aren’t you?” I widen my eyes and make a big spectacle out of it, then take another sip of my drink. As I sip on champagne, I try to hide my amused smirk.

“Ancient is kind. Prehistoric is entirely more accurate.”

Ambros and I both spend the next couple of hours chatting and drinking with one another. Before I know it, it’s already past midnight, yet there’s a large portion of the guests still here partying it up. Ambros and I have been sharing mischievous glances every once in a while, and I’m getting really tired of waiting.

“Do you want to get out of here?” I look right into Ambros’ deep, whiskey-colored eyes. They remind me a bit of my own, but his are darker. I’m surprised that’s even possible.

His expression shifts, and he looks at me with hunger-filled eyes. “Is that what you want, Xava?”

Ah, so he wants to play cat and mouse a bit. “Yes.” I keep my answer plain and simple, not wanting to mess around too much. I’ve spent a good portion of the night with him, and if I don’t at least get one hell of a kiss from Ambros, I’m going to be pissed.

“Then let’s go.” Ambros stands up first, and I follow suit. He slides his arm around my waist as we walk the old paverstone path up the hill. Once we reach the top, we’re at the same portion where the villa is. We walk around the villa to the cobblestone driveway, and there are a couple of men working the valet booth.

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